Envive Experts For Your Health and Wellness

February 2010

February 25, 2010

The healthiest food often has the least marketing muscle behind it. The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently published a comprehensive report on the subject, a persuasive indictment called "Food Labeling Chaos."

Here are nine of the most common ways food labels lie, so you can prepare before your next trip to the grocery store.

“Made With Whole Grains”

Unbleached wheat flour is still the main ingredient; whole wheat flour is further down on the list, indicating that the product contains relatively little. One truth -- the presence of whole grains -- masks another; that whole grains make up an insignificant portion of the food.

Another factor to keep in mind is the presence of potassium bromate, a dough conditioner found in commercial bakery products and some flours, which is a major, but hidden cause of thyroid dysfunction. This ingredient may be used even in whole grain breads. For more information, please review this previous article.

Ingredients

Even if the first ingredient listed isn’t sugar, the product may contain more sugar than anything else. How is it possible? Just add up all the sugars that go by different names, such as sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup and white grape juice concentrate.

Serving Size

There are 2.5 official servings in a 20 ounce soda bottles, meaning that 100 calories per "serving" is really 240 calories per bottle.

Omega 3

Everyone knows omega-3 fats are healthy, but that doesn't mean every product emblazoned with the word is a healthy source of it. The FDA allows certain foods that are rich in two of the omega-3 fats to advertise that they can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, but only if they're also low in saturated fats or other risk factors. Which is why some unhealthy foods use a bit of marketing misdirection: the packaging has the word "omega-3," but nothing specifically about heart health.

“Made With Real Fruit”

Usually the only thing approximating fruit is concentrate (sugar). If you want real fruit, buy real fruit. If you want candy, buy candy.

“0 Trans Fat”

Many reformulated foods are basically just as bad, but they scream one truth: "0 trans fats!" to obscure another: "still bad for your heart!"

“Free Range Eggs”

This means chickens must be granted the luxury of exactly five minutes of "access" to the outdoors every day. Those eggs you buy may have been raised ethically, with room enough for hens to roam the yard. But there's no guarantee in the "free range" label.

Fiber

The fibers advertised in many foods are mainly "purified powders" called inulin, polydextrose and maltodextrin. These "isolated" unnatural fibers are unlikely to lower blood cholesterol or blood sugar, as other fibers can.

Tastes Like Medicine!

The FDA allows food manufacturers to make certain pre-approved "qualified health claims" about the health benefits of nut

Probiotics are essential today in a world of processed and sterile foods. These "healthy" bacteria help in digestion and your overall immune system.

We carry a high quality probiotic from Metagenics that is one of only 2 nutriceutical comapnies that is GMP certified. This guarantees the highest standard in the industry. What you buy is what you get.

February 17, 2010

All Leaders Are Readers

Children's health issues image.

Reading to your kids isn't just good for them – it's fun for all of you!

One of the most important things you can do as a parent is to foster and encourage a life-long love of reading in your children. As the saying goes, "Leaders Are Readers," and reading is the one characteristic shared by all great leaders.

This is an age where technology and all kinds of electronic media can rob our children of all interest in reading if we as parents allow it. Video games, smart phones, computers, mp3 players and televisions all discourage reading. And, despite the fact that many of these media immerse your child in an imaginative fantasy world, it's passive, not active immersion.

Although these electronic diversions do have some value, if you want to raise a leader it is very important to teach self-discipline and moderation when it comes to these pastimes.

How can you foster a love of reading? By reading to your children right from birth. It doesn't matter if they understand the words, it's important to establish the habit. Many parents incorporate reading a book into the "bedtime ritual." As children age, many parents continue this by allowing them to read in bed before "lights out."

Those who are leaders - corporate leaders, national leaders, industry leaders, inventors, or professionals - have one thing in common: they read. They read newspapers that offer different opinions. They read trade journals to keep up with the latest in their fields of expertise. They read biographies to discover ideas and actions worth imitating in their own lives. They read about foreign affairs to find out what the rest of the world is doing. They read something out of their normal "literary library" to expand their horizons and exercise the brain – it is a muscle after all!

British author, Sir Francis Bacon, is known for saying, "Knowledge is power." Reading opens many doors for a child, a student and an adult pursuing a career. Parents who fail to foster a love of reading in their children may be dooming their children to failure in terms of their education, careers, critical social skills, and ability to network in the years to come.

In today's fast-paced, changing climate, many see this as a form of child neglect.

Different than watching television-even educational programs- in that eye movement helps stimulate the brain and allow for the transfer into long term memory. So stop the television and video games and pick up a good book... it's good for your brain!

February 16, 2010

Can Chiropractic Improve Your Game?

It’s been called the "gentleman’s game," but more and more women are joining in as well. Many schools and colleges have teams and it's considered the perfect game for networking or negotiating important business deals. We're talking about golf, and golf courses are big business, from building them to maintaining them, as more and more players are getting into the game!

So… how can chiropractic care help you to improve your golf game?

• Many golfers suffer from chronic low back pain. Back pain responds exceptionally well to chiropractic adjustments, increasing mobility and range of motion.

• Chiropractic care can help to improve posture and flexibility, two components of longer and more powerful drives.

• We become less flexible with age and immobility (working at a desk job, sitting in a car driving everyday) contributes to that as well. Swinging a golf club requires collaboration on the part of many joints from the feet up to the hands, including ankles, knees, hips, spine, elbows and wrists. Lack of flexibility contributes to many repetitive motion injuries in the joints. Chiropractic care attempts to address, correct and prevent joint injuries.

• When combined with stretching and corrective exercises, chiropractic care is a cost effective, all-natural way to improve mobility… which translates to consistency during the four - five hours it takes to play 18 holes.

Fancy new high-tech clubs, shoes with the right spikes and the latest golf attire do nothing to improve your game. However, increased flexibility and mobility can certainly improve your golf score. Just ask the pros - nearly 75% of them receive regular chiropractic care while on tour each year.

Jeffry H. Blanchard, golf professional and author of The Geometry of Golf stated, "The chiropractor is the perfect choice to evaluate, educate, treat, condition and train those who choose to play golf."

It's hard to think that spring may be around the corner but we will be golfing before we know it. It's a great time to get your spine checked out and ready for the season. Like many, sitting all winter can take its tole and it will be hard to get active again. Let Envive ready you for the season... the rest is up to you. -Dr. Wendell

February 15, 2010

Sweet Science: The Health Benefits of Chocolate

Yet another health benefit has been linked to eating chocolate: It may decrease your risk of stroke, a new study suggests.

The analysis, which will be presented in April at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting, reviewed the results of three previous studies. One study with more than 44,000 participants found that those who ate a weekly serving of chocolate were 22 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than those who ate no chocolate.

The researchers caution however, that more studies are needed to confirm the link, and other factors besides chocolate consumption could be contributing to the decreased stroke risk. Also, one reviewed study showed no connection between stroke risk and chocolate consumption.

Still, the results add to a growing list of potential advantages to eating chocolate, including a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. But this doesn't mean you should gorge yourself on the candy this Valentine's day either.

The benefits of chocolate have been known for periods of time, gbesides it taste good too! A couple of notes for staying on the healthy side of chocolate:
1. Try to avoid milk chocolates. They are packed owith sugar and there is probably little to no health benefits.
2. Stick to darker chocolates. Just like dark fruits have high levels of antioxidants, dark chocolate is the closest to the natural form of cocao and will maintain the health benefits.
3. Moderation. Just like other foods, caffeine, or alcohol, eat chocolate in moderation.

Just like anything you want in life you will have a process to get it. A new house, car, job etc. You may even set goals to reach what you want. Your health is no different. A few questions that may help...

Maybe you have a goal of losing weight, how do you now you are acheiving it?

What actions are you taking to acheive this goal?

Who keeps you responsible?

Would it make sense to have criteria such as weight, body mass, fat fress mass, water weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and more to establish a base line that can be measured against?

Your health goals should be no different than any other goal. Weight loss only becomes frustrating and discouraging when you cannot tell if you are making progress.

In contrast to the title, heart disease is curable. If fact a doctor by the name of Dr. Ornish reveresed the symptoms of heart disease with a group of subjects by changing their diet. Foods high in antioxidants, colorfull fruits and vegetables, fish and varities of nuts and grains have shown to not only prevent heart disease but roll back the effects.

At Envive we will test for all these signs of heart disease and intorduce high quality medical foods, diet modification and exercise programs to help... don't wait for the chest pain!